Thoughtful Thursday: What did I learn today?

What did I learn today that I could use in writing a story? I learned that there are five methods of purifying water and that there are two parts to building a campfire. I learned this because I was researching a blog post of a prompt contest I am participating in on writing.com. The contest concerns three weeks in a survival camp or at least writing about it.

After reading the methods for water purification, I decided to go with the Solar Still for purifying water. It sounded good, but I suspect if I were going to use it in real life my offline life it would be a little more complicated then the instructions said. I always expect everything to be more complicated then the instructions imply. Writing about the Solar Still was not difficult, but if I use it in a story I will have to add some difficulty to make it seem a bit more real.

The instructions for building a campfire were a bit complicated because there was so much to do. I admit being a novice in the wilderness, so I am not sure about using things like this in my stories. I have to attempt it though even if I use it only in a writing exercise.

Monday Matters: A Trip to The Bank

I received two checks through the mail on Saturday, but I waited until today to go to the bank and deposit them at the ATM. I had two reasons to wait until today to deposited the checks. First, my bank has an ATM is its air conditioned lobby so I do not have to stand outside in triple digit temperatures to make a deposit or receive cash. Second, the bank keeps a basket of lolly pops for customers and whenever I go into do business I get a grape lolly.

A grape lolly pop
brings back childhood memories
joyful nostalgia.

I deposited the checks and then I drove home in my car with the nonworking air conditioner. I took a bottle of water with me, but it was not frozen or even cold. On Tuesday or Thursday I will go to the store to get another six pack or two of bottled water. The only time I use bottled water is when I am out driving; at home I have a filter pitcher to keep water in the refrigerator.

Keep hydrated in
triple digit temperatures
carry ice water.

I am Healing in Las Vegas

I am healing!
Day by day my strength returns,
I am capable of doing more
then the day before.

I am healing
from three days of chills
and wanting only water to drink;
now I want food,
but I want more then just soup to eat...
I think today I would like some meat.

Toot my horn Tuesday: A good day in Las Vegas

Despite the triple digit temperatures, it is a good day in Las Vegas. I am at home in a cool house, with the thermostat set at 79 degrees. This morning I washed one load of towels and have them hanging on towel racks in the bathrooms drying.

It is a good day in Las Vegas, because this morning I wrote six short poems before 8:00 AM. I wrote two haiku and four senryu. Both of these are three-line Japanese forms with syllable counts of 5, 7, 5. The difference is that the haiku is about nature, animals, the weather, etc. The senryu concerns human nature, etc.

It is a good day in Las Vegas, because I have decided on the subject of my July edition of the writing.com fantasy newsletter. The subject I have chosen is science fiction and fantasy poetry. The June edition is due to come out tomorrow.

It is a good day in Las Vegas, because this afternoon I chose to make myself a glass of ice water instead of heating up the leftover coffee in the microwave. I can always heat the coffee up later tonight or in the morning.

It is a good day in Las Vegas, because I am writing a prose poem for today’s blog entry. This can be a difficult form to write or it can be easy depending on the subject.

The cost of water rising in Las Vegas

The Las Vegas Valley Water District recently added a $5.00 infrastructure charge to everyone’s water bill. This charge applies to all water lines, including those lines that carry water to “fire sprinkler systems” and hydrants. We received the bills containing that increase this month and the water bill of some people doubles. Those hit hardest by this increase are commercial customers.

Fortunately, I am a residential customer. My water bill came up to about $20.00. The bill of one commercial customer came up to about $12,000, which was double their last month’s bill. People are not happy about this because it means many of the shops and stores will have to pass that increase on to customers. At least those who can, non-profit organizations will have problems passing the cost on to their customers.

I also expect the raise in water rate to raise the cost of groceries, clothing, and even fuel for my car. Then there are the laundromats, this will increase what they charge for washing and drying clothes. Right now, I am not taking clothes to the laundromat, but I may need to start going to one again some time in the future.

The first unofficial day of summer in Las Vegas

Friday, June 1, was the first unofficial day of summer in Las Vegas. The temperatures reach 105 degrees and the weather bureau released an extreme heat warning. Friday morning I went out in the heat and it was excessive.

Las Vegas driving

An excessive heat warning

Sunscreen protection

While I was driving across town, I realized I did not put on sunscreen or take a tube with me when I left the house. There was a good reason for this, I ran out of sunscreen last year and did not buy any more. I now have an 8 fl. oz. tube of broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen. This particular type is Coppertone Sports; I bought it for two reasons.

First, it was on sale. Second, it was SPF 30. At the time I bought the tube, those were my only two requirements for sunscreen. If I like this brand, then I will buy it again. I could like this particular brand more then others. According to the information on the tube it is waterproof, “Ultra Sweatproof”, and it is antioxidant.

Summer is here, at least unofficially, I have to start planning ahead for my outings. Especially, since my care does not have working air conditioning. Normally, I do not buy bottled water because I have two portable water containers. One of the containers, an insulated cup, is about the size of the sunscreen tube and the other slightly larger. I suppose if I need more water, I can stop somewhere and buy a bottle.

Summer has arrived

Carry sunscreen and water

When you leave the house

A cloudy evening in Las Vegas

Another cloudy sunset, I look out my living room wind and see the bright edges of gray clouds. I doubt that it rains all though I have roll up my car window. If it does rain, it won’t be enough to wash my car. Early in the year, it rained hard and long enough to wash my car. That happened only once.

I have to have my car washed sometime this month. You would think getting the car washed would be easy. It isn’t because I can’t wash it myself, I have to take it to a car wash because of the drought. Using excess water gets a ticket, I think the first may be a warning ticket; however, I’m not sure about that. However, I’m not going take a chance of getting a ticket because I washed my car. I’ll scrap up the money and go to a carwash, they do a better job anyway.

Washing my own car
Is no longer an option
No wasting water

Finding a Carwash to Washing my Car

According to Water Smart Living, the Southern Nevada Water Authority newsletter, it takes 100 gallons of water to wash my car at home, but only 30 gallons if I go to a carwash that recycles the water. Naturally, I am going to a water smart carwash.

Before I get the car washed, I will check the Southern Nevada Water Authority website to find a carwash near my home. I will also print off coupons to get the car washed. I think I going green and becoming water smart is fun.

I am becoming water smart

The Southern Nevada Water Authority, sends a monthly newsletter, Water Smart Living, to all its customers. We received this month's newsletter on Monday, November 16, and I took a look at it this morning.

This little 6-page newsletter contains a lot of information about saving money and going green. In addition, this newsletter contains a coupon for $2.00 off the Winter Lights Festival in December.

According to the newsletter, I can water my yard one day a week from November 1, 2009 to February 28, 2010. Even though I do not water my yard, it is nice to know when I can water it. Now all I have to do is figure out which group I am in and for that I will have to check my water bill or go the website.

Afternoon Nap

Every writer needs to take an afternoon nap once in a while. I don't advocate a daily afternoon, but I think it an afternoon nap two or three days a week helps a writer's words to flow. I took a nap this afternoon because I wasn't feeling well. If I don't feel well a nap seems to refresh me and makes me feel better.

Today I took my mother in for a CAT scan, on the way home I stopped and bought a case of water. Because I wasn't feeling well, I had difficulty loading the water into the car at the store and unloading it at home. The case of water wasn't that heavy, so my problem was feeling ill. I guess I should have left the water in the car until after my nap.

I didn't think of leaving the water in the car and unloading it after my nap. Even if I had thought about waiting to unload the water, I probably would not have waited. This is summer, I live in Las Vegas; therefore, the water would have gotten hot if I left it in the car.

The nap did wonders for me. I feel better. I'm more optimistic then before the nap. The only problem, I'm behind on my daily writing. I did write two poems after I woke up, so I'm not behind on my poetry writing for the month.

The Arctic Express

16 Qawl 164 B.E. - Friday, December 7, 2007 about 7:28 PM PST

The arctic express went through my neighborhood today. The wind bent some of the trees almost double and kicked the electricity off for an hour or two. The wind is still blowing, but not as bad as earlier in the day.

I'm a bit chilly, but that could be because I'm drinking ice water. I drink ice water winter and summer. I like my water as cold as it can possibly get without freezing. I know there is a title to a poem or story in both of these items, I'm just not sure yet how to go about it.

The Arctic Express sounds like a good title for a short story or piece of flash fiction. I've written a lot of flash fiction lately. There is a Daily Flash Fiction Challenge on writing.com I've managed to enter several day in a row this month. I believe I've missed only one day entering it. Each day a different prompt is posted and you write a story in conjunction with the prompt. The day I missed posting to the challenge, I wrote the story. I just finished it too late to enter it.

Ice Water on a Cold Day would make a good title to a poem. Growing up, my grandmother always gave us water with ice in it winter or summer. I think she did this because all our drinking water came from the kitchen faucet and the ice cubes made it taste better.

Another good title for a poem is Saying Grace, this was how my grandparents referred to the blessing said at meal time. Most of the time my grandfather said grace, but sometimes my grandmother would say the prayer. Grandma usually said grace with grandpa was working and wouldn't be home for lunch.